PRIVACY POLICY

Effective as of January 17, 2024

Introduction

The Critical Reader (“The Critical Reader,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) respects the privacy of your information. This Privacy Policy is designed to assist you in understanding how we collect, use, share, and safeguard your information. This Privacy Policy applies to individuals who access this website (“Site”) and any of our online and, where required, offline services (collectively, “Services”).

From time to time, we may change this Privacy Policy. If we do, we will post an amended version on this webpage. Please review this Privacy Policy periodically.

This Privacy Policy covers the following topics:

1. Personal Data We Collect

We collect personal data from you through your use of the Site and Services. Personal data is information that is linked or reasonably linkable to an identified or identifiable individual. We collect the following types of personal data:

Personal Data You Provide

We may collect the following personal data that you voluntarily provide to us:

Register for an Account. To register for an account, you will provide us with your name and email address, and you will create a username and password.
To make a purchase, you will provide us with your name, email address, physical address, phone number, and you will create a password. You can make your purchase using PayPal or by providing your credit card information. We use PayPal and Stripe to process payments. Please review PayPal’s privacy policy here and Stripe’s privacy policy here for more information.
Question of the Day, Newsletter, E-Books. To sign up for the question of the day, subscribe to our newsletter, or download our free e-book, you will provide us with your email address.

Information as You Navigate Our Site

We automatically collect certain personal data through your use of the Site and Services, such as the following:

Usage Information. For example, pages on the Site you access, the frequency of access, and what you click on while on the Site.
Device Information. For example, hardware model, operating system, application version number, and browser.
Location Information. Location information from Site visitors on a city-regional basis.

For more information on our cookie usage see our “Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies” section below.

Personal Data We Collect About You from Other Sources

In some cases, we may receive personal data about you from other sources. This includes marketing platforms.

2. How We Use Your Personal Data

In addition to the purposes stated above, we may use all the personal data we collect in accordance with applicable law such as to:

Maintain and improve our Site and Services;
Protect the security and integrity of our Site and Services;

Investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, and to otherwise fulfill our legal obligations;
Monitor compliance with and enforce this Privacy Policy and any applicable agreements and policies;

Defend our legal rights and the rights of others;
Fulfill any other purposes for which you provide it;
For any purpose that is reasonably necessary to or compatible with the original purpose for which we collected the personal data as disclosed to you; and
Comply with applicable law.

3. How We Share Your Personal Data

We may share the personal data that we collect about you in the following ways:

With vendors who perform data or Site-related services on our behalf (e.g., hosting, maintenance, backup, analysis, etc.);
To the extent that we are required to do so by law;
In connection with any legal proceedings or prospective legal proceedings;
To establish, exercise, or defend our or a third party’s legal rights, including providing information to others for the purposes of fraud prevention;
With any person who we reasonably believe may apply to a court or other competent authority for disclosure of that personal data where, in our reasonable opinion, such court or authority would be reasonably likely to order disclosure of that personal data;
With any other person or entity as part of any business or asset sale, equity transaction, merger, acquisition,bankruptcy, liquidation, or similar proceeding, or in preparation for any of these events;
With any other person or entity where you consent to the disclosure; and
For any other purpose disclosed by us when you provide the personal data or for any other purpose we deem necessary, including to protect the health or safety of others.

4. Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies

Like many other companies, we use cookies and other tracking technologies (such as pixels and web beacons) (collectively, “Cookies”). “Cookies” are small files of information that are stored by your web browser software on your computer hard drive, mobile or other devices (e.g., smartphones or tablets).

We use Cookies to:

Estimate audience size and usage patterns;
Understand and save your preferences for future visits, allowing us to customize the Site and Services to your individual needs;
Advertise new content and services that relate to your interests;
Keep track of advertisements and search engine results;
Compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interactions to resolve issues and offer better site experiences and tools in the future; and
Recognize when you return to the Site.

We set some Cookies ourselves and others are set by other entities. We use Cookies set by other entities to provide us with useful information to help us improve our Site and Services, to conduct advertising, and to analyze the effectiveness of advertising. For example, we use Cookies from Google, Microsoft, and other similar companies.

How You Can Opt Out of Cookies

Cookies can be blocked by changing your Internet browser settings to refuse all or some Cookies. If you choose to block all Cookies (including essential Cookies) you may not be able to access all or parts of the Site.

You can find out more about Cookies and how to manage them by visiting www.AboutCookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org.

Platform Controls

You can opt out of Cookies set by specific entities by following the instructions found at these links:

Google: https://adssettings.google.com
Microsoft: https://account.microsoft.com/privacy/ad-settings/

Advertising Industry Resources

You can understand which entities have currently enabled Cookies for your browser or mobile device and how to opt-out of some of those Cookies by accessing the Network Advertising Initiative’s website or the Digital Advertising Alliance’s website. For more information on mobile specific opt-out choices, visit the Network Advertising Initiative’s Mobile Choices website.

Please note that these opt-out mechanisms are specific to the device or browser on which they are exercised. Therefore, you will need to opt out on every browser and device that you use.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. Google Analytics uses Cookies or other tracking technologies to help us analyze how users interact with the Site and Services, compile reports on their activity, and provide other services related to their activity and usage. The technologies used by Google may collect information such as your IP address, time of visit, whether you are a returning visitor, and any referring website. The information generated by Google Analytics will be transmitted to and stored by Google and will be subject to Google’s privacy policies. To learn more about Google’s partner services and to learn how to opt-out of tracking of analytics by Google, click here.

Microsoft Clarity

We use Microsoft Clarity to understand how users interact with our Site. Microsoft may collect personal information from individuals visiting our Site. Microsoft’s privacy policy is available here.

Other Types of Collecting Activities

The Site and Services may use Cookies and similar technologies third-party vendors provide to collect information on user behavior (e.g., screens and pages visited, buttons and links clicked, limited information entered, and user taps and mouse movements). This information enables us to monitor and improve the user experience.

5. “Do Not Track” Signals

Some internet browsers incorporate a “Do Not Track” feature that signals to websites you visit that you do not want to have your online activity tracked. Given that there is not a uniform way that browsers communicate the “Do Not Track” signal, the Site does not currently interpret, respond to or alter its practices when it receives “Do Not Track” signals.

6. Security

We maintain commercially reasonable security measures to protect the Personal data we collect and store from loss, misuse, destruction, or unauthorized access. However, no security measure or modality of data transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. Although we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your Personal data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Third-Party Links

The Site may contain links that will let you leave the Site and access another website. Linked websites are not under our control. We accept no responsibility or liability for these other websites.

8. Children’s Privacy

The Site is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect, use, or disclose personal information from children under 13.

9. International Transfers

For individuals located outside the United States, in particular in the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, please note that the Critical Reader is a U.S. based company. The Critical Reader does not solicit customers from outside the United States, therefore, users of the Services should not expect to avail themselves of the rights provided under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”). If you use the Services, all information, including personal data, will be transferred to the Critical Reader in the United States. By using the Services, you unambiguously consent to the transfer of your personal data and other information to the United States and elsewhere for the purposes and uses described in this Privacy Policy. Further, you acknowledge that the Critical Reader is not subject to the GDPR or similar international privacy laws, and therefore, you will be unable to claim the privacy rights provided in those laws. If you have any questions, please see our How to Contact Us section.

10. Notice to Nevada Residents

Nevada law allows Nevada residents to opt-out of the sale of certain types of personal information. Subject to several exceptions, Nevada law defines “sale” to mean the exchange of certain types of personal information for monetary consideration to another person. We do not currently sell personal information as defined in the Nevada law. However, if you are a Nevada resident, you still may submit a verified request to opt-out of sales and we will record your instructions and incorporate them in the future if our policy changes. Opt-out requests may be sent to thecriticalreader1@gmail.com.

11. Notice to California Residents

We do not disclose personal information obtained through our Site or Services to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. Accordingly, we have no obligations under California Civil Code § 1798.83.

If you are a California resident under the age of 18 and a registered user of the Services, California Business & Professions Code § 22581 permits you to request and obtain removal of content or information posted on the Services by you. If you wish to make a request, please contact us at thecriticalreader1@gmail.com. Please be aware that removal does not ensure complete or comprehensive removal of the content or information posted on the Services by you and there may be legal reasons for denying your request.

12. How to Contact Us

To contact us for questions or concerns about our privacy policies or practices please email us at thecriticalreader1@gmail.com.

Privacy Policy